Tech Talk: kiteboard outline

In these Tech-Talk videos we will answer all your board related questions. From volume to different kiteboard outlines. Ask your questions via social media or send us an email. We will answer them in our next videos!

What does an outline do for your kiteboard?

Part two of the series “kiteboard design” is out. The first episode was about the different kiteboard ranges. This episode is about the outline of a board. What exactly does an outline do for your board. And why is it often one of the first things a shaper starts with?

I have already made a video about “how to choose the perfect kiteboard” for you and this is a follow-up, where we go a little bit deeper in the different aspects that make a kiteboard what it is. If you haven’t seen the video make sure to check it first before you watch this video

The outline of a kite surfboard

The outline is one of the first things you see. And the outline together with the rocker, the volume and the rail lines sort of give the board its characteristics. But the outline is a really important one. And I’m not talking about the tail shape or whatever, I’m just talking about the complete outline of the board. 

From a rounded outline to a parallel outline

The outline can go from a really rounded outline up to a super parallel outline. Those super parallel outline boards are almost like your twin tip. Where the rails are almost parallel and then a square nose and square tail. A rounded outline has a rounded nose and tail, but it’s a bit more straighter on the back side. Our Malus Domestica is a bit of hybrid in between board.

Advantages of a rounded kite surfboard outline

If you know more about a kiteboard outline, you sort of know what board to look for. There are a lot of different kinds of outlines. Let’s go through some of them. Our Appleflap got a really rounded outline in both the nose and the tail. What does a rounded outline do? It makes the board really carvey. It’s really loose and you can really do nice long carves with the board.

Disadvantages of a rounded kite surfboard outline

When designing a board, you are always looking for a good balance and sometimes you have to make compromises. So what do you lose when you have a really rounded outline? You lose upwind ability. Because a straighter outline will be better upwind. In addition, sometimes a board with a round outline will be too loose and too hard to control. I wouldn’t advise to go much rounder than our Appleflap on a kiteboard. 

Advantages of a straighter kiteboard outline

From a really rounded outline you can also go to a much straighter outline. So for instance this Luke’s Leaf model here. It’s got a much straighter outline. It gives the board more upwind ability. In addition, it provides a really stable platform to land those tricks on. 

Disadvantages of a straighter kiteboard outline

What is the main limit of a straight outline? You lose a bit of looseness in the waves but you have a much more stable platform. 

You win some, you lose some

Designing kiteboards or surfboards is always a balance. You always compromise, you can’t put everything into one board. You lose some upwind ability or you lose some looseness or you lose some control, but you always try to balance those things into one design 

Hybrid outline

Most people tend to go for a hybrid kind of outline, because it’s the best of both worlds. A hybrid design like this Malus Domestica will have a rounder nose. It doesn’t catch so easily. The square noses tend to catch on the nose. So it’s a bit looser, but then on the back end it’s more square. Imagine the water flow along the rail and along the outline. It has more board to grip, so it’s much better upwind. It’s a balanced sort of in-between kind of board. It’s not for everyone. Some people really like that super extreme squareness or that super extreme roundness. Usually 70 or 80 percent of people like to have something a bit more in between.

So that’s a little bit about outlines in kiteboards. We’re gonna make other videos on the rocker and on volume distribution in boards because those three things sort of together make the board. Make sure to check our other videos because we’re going to launch a lot more.

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